After my death our beloved Church abroad will break three ways ... first the Greeks will leave us as they were never a part of us ... then those who live for this world and its glory will go to Moscow ... what will remain will be those souls faithful to Christ and His Church.~St. Philaret of NY

From a letter of the Optina Elder [and New Martyr] St. Anatoly the YoungerOrthodox Life, #3, 1993

... And from that heresies will spread everywhere and deceive many people. The enemy of the human race will act with cunning in order to draw into heresy, if possible, even the elect.

He will not begin by crudely rejecting the dogmas of the Holy Trinity, the divinity of Jesus Christ and the virtue of the Theotokos, but he will begin imperceptibly to distort the teachings and statutes of the Church and their very spirit, handed down to us by the Holy Fathers through the Holy Spirit.

Few will notice these wiles of the enemy, only those more experienced in the spiritual life. Heretics will seize power over the Church and will place their servants everywhere; the pious will be regarded with contempt. He (the Lord) said, by their fruits ye shall know them, and so, by their fruits, as well as by the actions of the heretics, strive to distinguish them from the true pastors.

These are spiritual thieves, plundering the spiritual flock, and they will enter the sheepfold (the Church), climbing up some other way, using force and trampling upon the divine statutes. The Lord calls them robbers (cf. St. John 10:1). Indeed, their first task will be the persecution of the true pastors, their imprisonment and exile, for without this it will be impossible for them to plunder the sheep.

Therefore, my son, when you see the violation of patristic tradition and the divine order in the Church, the order established by God, know that the heretics have already appeared, although for the time being they may conceal their impiety, or they will distort the Divine Faith imperceptibly, in order to succeed better in seducing and enticing the inexperienced into the net.

The persecution will be directed against not only pastors but against all servants of God, for all those ruled by heresy will not endure piety. Recognize these wolves in sheep’s clothing by their proud dispositions and love of power. They will be slanderers, traitors, everywhere sowing enmity and malice; therefore the Lord said that by their fruits you will know them. True servants of God are humble, love their neighbor and are obedient to the Church.

Monastics will be greatly oppressed by the heretics and monastic life will be scorned. Monasteries will become scarce, the number of monastics will decline, and those who remain will endure violence. These haters of monastic life, however, having only the appearance of piety, will strive to attract the monks to their side promising them protection and worldly goods, and threatening those who oppose them with expulsion.

These threats will cause great despair among the fainthearted, but you, my son rejoice that you have lived until that time, for then the faithful who have not shown any other virtues, will receive crowns merely for standing firm in the faith, according to the word of the Lord (cf. St. Matthew 10:32).

Fear the Lord my son. Fear to lose the crown prepared (for you), fear to be cast by Christ into the outer darkness and eternal torment. Stand bravely in the faith, and if necessary, endure persecution and other sorrows, for the Lord will be with you... and the holy martyrs and confessors, they will look upon you and your struggle with joy.

But woe to the monks in those days who will be bound with possessions and riches, who because of love of peace will be ready to submit to the heretics. They will lull to sleep their conscience, saying, “We are preserving and saving the monastery and the Lord will forgive us.” The unfortunate and blind ones do not at all consider that through heresy the demons will enter the monastery and then it will no longer be a holy monastery, but merely walls from which grace will depart.

God, however, is mightier than the enemy, and He will never leave His servants. True Christians will remain until the end of this age, only they will choose to live in secluded, deserted places. Do not fear sorrows, rather fear pernicious heresy, for it strips us of grace and separates us from Christ. This is why the Lord commanded us to consider the heretic as a pagan and a publican.

And so my son, strengthen yourself in the grace of Jesus Christ. Hasten to confess the faith, to endure suffering as a good soldier of Jesus Christ (cf II St. Timothy 2:13), Who has said, Be faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life (Rev.2:10).

To Him, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be honor, glory, and dominion unto the ages of ages. Amen.

These Vespers services bring together Orthodox Christians from across the Detroit Metro area for inter-Orthodox fellowship during our Great Lenten journey. St. Vladimir’s parishioners are welcome and encouraged to attend!

• General Confession and Communion of the Parish Family is March 23 and 24

As is our tradition at St. Vladimir’s (a pious tradition found throughout the Russian Orthodox Church) we urge all our family and friends to attend as many of the services as possible during the first week of Great Lent (beginning with the very important Forgiveness Sunday Vespers), with the goal of confessing and partaking of the Holy Mysteries on either Saturday, March 23 (Theodore Saturday) or Sunday, March 24 (The Sunday of Orthodoxy). Let us begin our Great Lenten journey of repentance and preparation for the feast of feasts, our Lord’s Glorious Resurrection, by forgiving each other and partaking of the Cup of Life together as a parish family!

Pursuant to the decision to purchase a Synod residence in Brooklyn, New York, USA, and establish a parish there in honor of the Holy Myrrhbearing Women, I hereby bless the establishment of a parish in honor of the Holy Myrrhbearing Women, the permanent rector of which will be the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad.

Those wishing to become members of this parish should contact the dean of the diocese, Archpriest Vsevolod Dutikow, who will be responsible for the parish for the period from its establishment until the convening of a general parish meeting, at which the executive board (warden, parish council, treasurer and auditing committee) will be elected. Funds and property gathered and acquired by the parish, will belong solely to the parish and will be administered by the parish council and accountable to a general meeting of the parish of the Holy Myrrhbearing Women. The parish’s operation will be in accordance with the Normal Parish Bylaws.

This Sunday is a special day in the Orthodox calendar, as from this day forward all Christians begin to prepare for the good journey of Great Lent. This week, starting with Sunday, is called the Week of the Pharisee and the Publican.

As we know from biblical history, Israel has always been surrounded by neighboring pagan nations and has been attacked militarily many times and taken captive by others. As a result, the chosen people of Israel have been influenced by negative cultural and religious forces, causing religious Jews to doubt their faith. Particularly strong influences on the Jews were felt from the Persians and their Zoroastrian religion and the Hellenes and their Greek paganism. These influences caused significant religious aberrations among the believers, pushing them away from the requirements set forth in Holy Scripture and the precepts set forth in books such as Deuteronomy and Leviticus. In order to discipline and educate His people, the Lord periodically sent prophets. Alas, after the captivity in Babylonia there was a long stretch of history where Israel existed without prophets until the prophets of all prophets, St. John the Forerunner, was sent by God.

The prophets played an important role in the lives of the Jewish people, as they carried to them the Living Word of God and the people took strength from it spiritually. Just as the Orthodox Christians of today live by the Word of God and the Gospel's Teachings, the Israel of the Old Testament that existed before the Christian era lived by the Commandments and the words of the prophets. The long stretch of history when the nation existed without prophets resulted in a response among believers who cared for the wellbeing and survival of the nation of Israel and led to the emergence of three religious movements: the Pharisees, Sadducees and Essenes.

The Essene sect was made up of people who were wealthy for the most part, which allowed them to break away from the crowd in order to live a holy life. This is echoed by the name of the sect, which can be translated as “separated.” They separated themselves from the perishing Israeli people, from the dying world, and lived in religious communities apart from the others, somewhat akin to the monasteries of today. They sought salvation by following the ceremonial laws and ritualism - this was the path their members followed.

The other movement was the Sadducees. This movement espoused the quintessence of Old Testament spirituality with the practice of sacrifices and religious services in the temple. The people in this movement were also wealthy and represented a rich strata of society in Israel. The Sadducees stayed near and around the temple and demanded that everyone should attend services in the temple, bring tributes to the temple's korban, the coffer, and engage in the practice of sacrifices.

Then there were the Pharisees. The Pharisees were a unique movement because they came out of poverty and were deeply religious. Wandering Pharisee preachers served God and people selflessly, bringing the living Word of the Scriptures to the people. They were close to the people and were loved by them, and became embarrassment to the Sadducees who had cut themselves off from the people. The Sadducees found a way to resolve their problem. Slowly but surely, they provided a fundamental religious education in the temple to the Pharisees. Later, this even led to them constructing special building additions to house the Pharisees that had joined them. Holy Scripture also mentions the so-called “scribes.” This term was used to identify highly-educated Pharisees who made a home for themselves with the Sadducees in the temple. Pharisees and Sadducees did have dogmatic differences in their theology, as Pharisees believed in life after death and resurrection, while the Sadducees rejected the possibility of life after death. They were united by a common interest, the steady flow of money to the coffers and generous donations by the constant flow of people to the temple. In this way, the original idea of being a Pharisee changed and turned into something foreign to itself, or at least from the original concept. The Pharisees significantly added new commandments to the Law of God. They even elevated some cultural legends and customs to the level of the Commandments, promulgating an unbelievably large number of them. Since these commandments were added to the Law by people and not God, it is not surprising that many of them not only contradicted each other, but also the Law of God. This is clear in the text of the Gospel, when we read a description of such abuses of the time. Let us recall what Jesus said in the Gospel According to Mark:

"You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! For Moses said, 'Honor your father and mother,' and, 'Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.' But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God), then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that." (Mark 7:9-13)

The Fifth Commandment of the Law of Moses proclaims, “"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” (Exodus 20:12) This is one of the most fundamental Commandments, and as an example of a deviation from it, we see how the Law of the Pharisees was distorted and thus understand why it was so important to them to place the bringing of tributes to the temple above all else.

We know that Israel during the time of Christ was not a free, independent country, but was under the rule of Rome. Foreign rule always results in the defeated nation being required to pay tribute to the occupiers. The collection of taxes in the time of the Bible was completed by the mytars – Publicans. The word “mytar” is Slavonoc, which translates to “collector of taxes.” The tax collectors were a special group of wealthy people among the Jews, who worked for the occupiers, the Romans, and the work was so profitable that the Roman authorities did not pay them a salary. To become a Publican, one had to buy the position and pay the Romans for the right to collect taxes for them! The Romans understood people's weakness for money and knew that the Publicans would collect more taxes than necessary and that they would give part of it to the Romans and keep a share for themselves. The extra share the Publicans took was considered by the Romans to be their salary. Being a Publican was one of the most hated occupations in the eyes of all the Jews. The Publicans were very wealthy people. Publicans such as Zacchaeus, whom we recently heard mentioned in the Gospel reading, were especially wealthy. He was in charge of all the Publicans in Jericho, and Jericho, as we know, was an important trading city at the intersection of trade routes and the collection of taxes in Jericho was avidly pursued.

Today's Gospel reading presents a parable of the Lord of how two men prayed in the temple. This parable is read on this day deliberately, as we prepare for Great Lent. Any of the parables of the Lord are like a mirror in which we see world reflected, in the mirror of parable we also see ourselves.

Here is why today's parable is important for us, brothers and sisters. We see the Publican praying and striking his chest as a sinner. That he is a sinner is already known to us. There can be no doubt, since “Thou shall not steal” is one of the Ten Commandments and it expressly forbids taking something that does not belong to you. The Publican's job as we know was doing just that, so he was violating the Law and that important Commandment. Such an offense is called a mortal sin by the Orthodox Church. One can say theft was the Publican's work, and his profession was actually that of a thief. Imagine how horrible that is for a person, a Publican, who knows what is written in the Holy Scripture about stealing? That is why the poor Publican stands there beating his chest and asking the Lord to spare him, “God be merciful to me, a sinner!”

The Pharisee is a completely different type of person. The Pharisee knows the Law, obeys the Commandments as is the tradition, and even more so, since fasting two days a week was not required of the Jews by the Law. Fasting two days a week was a commandment added to the Law by the Pharisees. So the Pharisee obeys all the commandments of the Law as required, lives a seemingly righteous life and appears to be a good person and an example for others, but let us consider how he prays.

He says, “God, I thank Thee that I am not like other people--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector…”

It is good that the Pharisee began his prayer by thanking God, “God, I thank Thee!” Our prayers must always first and foremost thank God. We gathered together today at the Liturgy and the main part of the Liturgy is called the “Eucharist,” which means “thanksgiving” in Greek. Giving thanks is the most correct and most important thing that a person can and should do, to thank God always and in everything. However right after the initial correct words, the Pharisee says the completely wrong things, as he begins to compare himself to other people, and in part, with the Publican who stands nearby. Placing yourself above others and human pride are repulsive abominations in the eyes of God. Let us not forget brothers and sisters the very first sin which was committed, the sin of Lucifer, the fallen archangel, who became the first victim of his own pride. That is why pride is the root of all other sins, and human pride is a sin, when we begin to be vainglorious and elevate ourselves above others. This parable has special meaning for us, the Orthodox. Just like the Pharisee, we fast two days, Wednesday and Friday, of every week of the year. Many of us who are churchgoing and follow the accepted practices sometimes give in and think to ourselves that we are better than someone who is not such a churchgoer or even others in general. That we are so good because we fast twice a week, follow the Commandments, go to church, do everything that is required of us and praise God, not like all the sinners among whom we live!

Today's Gospel reading, this parable, demonstrates how different the judgment of man is to the Judgment of God. The Gospel tells us that the Publican, a sinner, an utter sinner, who lives in constant mortal sin, left the temple more absolved than the Pharisee who obeys the Law. Let us note an interesting aspect of this parable. The Publican left the temple more absolved than the Pharisee, but it also means that the Pharisee received absolution to some degree exactly because he did good deeds, but his pride, his valuing himself above others, the absence of love rob him of huge fruit of his labors which the Pharisee could have received if only being more full of love and having a better understanding of the Word of God. God speaks through the wise Solomon, “My son, give Me your heart and let your eyes delight in My ways” (Proverbs 23:26). God does not only want us to honor the Commandments and follow the ways of the Lord, God also wants our hearts above everything else which will lead every one of us to the godliness promised to us. That is what the Pharisee did in fact. The Pharisee did all that was expected of him and more so, but he did not give his heart to God. This parable reveals to us the stark contrast and we see another person who is an obvious sinner beating his chest and receiving mercy from the Lord for his broken heart.

So that we, brothers and sisters, do not suddenly exalt ourselves over others like the Pharisee and declare that we fast twice a week, the Holy Church designated this week to be fast-free and forbids fasting on the Wednesday and Friday of this week.

As the days of Holy Great Lent draw near, let us remember, brothers and sisters, in order for us to receive the Lord's forgiveness and mercy, let us do all deeds that are required of us, but let us do so with our heart and our love.

During the Great Lent from Monday to Friday we pray to the Lord each day with the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian:

“O Lord and Master of my life! Take from me the spirit of sloth, faint-heartedness, lust of power, and idle talk. But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love to Thy servant. Yea, O Lord and King! Grant me to see my own errors and not to judge my brother; For Thou art blessed unto ages of ages. Amen.”

May we follow the wise words of this sacred prayer and not judge others and fulfill all that is expected of us by the Holy Church. This is the best way for us to receive the grace of God and the Blessings of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

George Mitrofanovich Moiseeff, the son of Major-General of the Grand Army of the Don, Mitrophan Alekseevich Moiseeff and the secretary general of the Russian Imperial Union-Order, died March 21 in Ottawa, Canada's capital after a 89-year long life. Two days later, on 23 March, occured the death of his youngest daughter, Svetlana Bortvel.

A member of the Supreme Council of the Russian Imperial Union-Order, Koltypin Peter, told the "Portal-Credo.Ru" , describing the deceased as a great Russian patriot, "all his life, he paid great attention to the Russian cause."

For 25 years, George Moses was the editor and publisher of the independent magazine, "White Paper."

The funerals of George Moiseeff and his daughter Svetlana were held March 24 at the Cathedral of St.. Xenia Petereburzhskoy in Ottawa, which is under the omophorion of Metropolitan Agathangelus

Yesterday (March 17, 2013) Miguel Berduc (h), Harry Tschubow and I went to visit Father Alejandro, and I want to briefly comment how we saw him.

We found Father well, as usual, when we go visit him. Evidently, the difference with other visits is that now he is perceived more secure. I can’t say much about Father because his mood visibly doesn’t differ much, since he seems as strong as usual, but I consider it a good exercise not to forget where he is at and his overall situation, in order to avoid indifference setting it.

As we all know, Father is locked in a cell which is 99% cement, that is, when the weather is hot they burn up, and when it gets colder they freeze. They almost never go outside; he is locked with other three people. They seldom go to the courtyard because those are filled out with people, the only secure outlets are the visits (if so) on Thursdays and Sundays this month. Visits are very important because it’s his connection with his people and the outside world, besides being his contact with sunlight.

Something so simple for us is almost impossible for others!

The food: They refer to what is served as the "Rancho". If they can recover a small piece of meat, they take it out to try to put together some other meal. The inmates feed themselves with what they get from their visitors, often times those who don’t have visitors get a share from those who do.

Taking a shower: Hot water doesn’t exist. Often times when heat was extreme there was no water, and the day before visitation when the inmate wants to get ready for his family and friends, unexpectedly there is no water.

Sleeping or relaxing: The noise from TVs and radios, and people shouting are constant, from morning till night.

Walking: It is impossible. The cell is approx. 4 x 5 [m], with 4 people in it. That’s why, when we go visit, we see a large number of inmates walking from one end to the other, together with a family member or a friend.

Yesterday, it was very difficult to get in. We arrived at 7:30 and were able to enter at about 10:00. Some women got in at about 2:00 or 3:00 p.m., while they were waiting in line since 5:00 a.m. Father seems to be very affected by what happens to the other inmates, and suffers.

Father told us that the female Judge in charge of the case was very surprised to find out regarding the many letters of support he received [directly] in court and via internet from all over the world. It is very important not to drop the ball and mark our presence by all possible means, calling the prison, sending letters and visiting Father, or by any other means you can come up with. That is very important indeed, as a spiritual support and to show them that Father is a very important person to many people all over the world.

This is more or less a summary of our yesterday's visit.

Pablo Colángelo

WITH ALL OF THE ABOVE, PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT THERE WAS NO TRIAL FOR FR. ALEJANDRO,

NOR WAS THERE SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO CHARGE HIM WITH ANY WRONGDOING. NONETHELESS, HE IS STILL AN IN-MATE IN A MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON! THIS IS A CLEAR VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS!

Second Report

MIGUEL BERDUC’S VISITS FR. ALEJANDRO

Hello everyone; I think Pablo Colangelo summarized well our visit on Sunday, [March] 17th, and he pointed out Father Alejandro’s permanent good mood and strength, reminding us that despite all this, and considering the place where he is right now, even if he is strong and is in a permanent good mood, he still needs us not to forget about him, or how he spends each and every day, or that if food doesn’t come from outside, they won’t eat. Evidently, Our Lord maintains him in such a state; Our Lord never abandons us, let alone when we at least keep trying to remain at His side, by His Hand, and if instead of complaining repeatedly about how unjust a situation is, or saying that we are weak because we are humans; if instead of all that we occupy ourselves with prayer, that’s it.

And F. Alejandro does that all day, he prays on his knees on that chunk of concrete 2 m high, which is referred to as “his bed.” Out of that food, he distributes almost everything; he asks about everyone and remembers each one of us, and when somebody following humanistic traits comments what such and such did or didn’t do, he tries to change the subject and foster reconciliation. HE DIDN’T TURN COLD ON US, let’s then avoid saying that it’s normal “to become cold.” Well, this is all regarding Father and his condition. Now I want to touch a little upon the technical aspects of the visits, since all of us, and I’m included, have relaxed on the rules regarding bringing food and other things to the inmates, based on the disorder and incoherence by the prison guards in following supposedly those rules. This last Sunday 17th, we became RELAXED, and everything went wrong!!!

Exactly as Pablo comments, it was very tough at the entrance; on Sundays since nobody works a lot of people gather and the guards, instead of organizing and pacifying people, try to complicate things and seemingly get some kind satisfaction out of it. It was only possible to bring in the minimum necessary to eat on that day; they made each of us take back two or three times either food, which according to the rules can only be brought in by parcel. They made everyone abide by dress colors to the point that a child about two-years of age was forbidden entry because he was dressed in blue (blue is not permitted to avoid confusion with the guards’ uniform. But a 2-year old child?????). Women who were waiting in line, four or five people wide about two blocks long, were forced to FORM A ONE PERSON LINE. YES!!!!! One behind the other. The situation created, among other problems, that they started fighting with each other (textually, and if any of our females still has any doubts regarding being easy getting in and more ... these are the reasons why Father begs women not to visit him). We also had to throw food in the trash, which we were able to pass through, but at the last checkpoint, already inside the prison, they realized and forced us to throw it away.

What I’m trying to get across here is in reference to people’s comments, "there is no problem I was able to bring it in,” or “I was able to bring it through a different way” or “I brought in this or that, which is not permitted.” Yes, we also did that, until THEY DIDN’T LET US DO IT ANYMORE and ....... who got penalized was Father since he wasn’t able to keep a few things, we ourselves went through a bad experience, comings and goings, mistreatment, and MONEY which belongs to us or comes out of the aid in donations, is wasted in the end!!!

LET’S ABIDE BY THE RULES OF THE DISORDERLY AND INCOHERENT " COMCAR" PRISON.

Metropolitan Agafangel, who led the first Sunday of Great Lent, the Divine Liturgy at Holy Trinity Church in Astoria (New York, USA), co-served by rector Archpriest Vsevolod Dutikow and Priest Victor Dobrova for diligent service to the Church of the parish clergyman awarded Deacon Dimitri Dobronravova right to wear a double stole

On this day, performed the rite of Orthodoxy before the Divine Liturgy, Deacon Dimitri first proclaimed anathema sergianism.

The question of an anathema of sergianism has been under discussion of some time, and various proposed versions have appeared. It should be noted such an anathema has not received official approval for general use in the Church. Until there is such approval, the matter is left to the discretion of individual hierarchs.

Here is an English translation of the text on the Internet Sobor website:

To those who call the theomachist antichrist authority blessed by God rather than permitted; to those who dare to enslave the holy Church to this authority for the sake of holding on to the external ecclesiastical organization; to those who, in order to please the secular authorities, trample upon God’s commandments, the holy canons, the patristic traditions and the Church’s catholicity; to those who renounce the martyrs and confessors of Christ, who raise up blasphemy against their struggle and who betray them into the hands of tormentors; to those who justify this Judas-like way of thinking and acting and who even say that by a special wisdom the salvation of the Church comes about; to those who prepare the seduction of honoring antichrist as a God-given leader; to the Segianists, to the new renovationists – anathema!

To those who call the godless and anti-Christian state power blessed rather than merely permitted by God and make bold, under the pretext of preserving the outward organisation of the Church, to subjugate the Holy Church to this power; to those who, in order to please the worldly authorities, trample under foot the Divine Commandments, Holy Canons, Patristic Traditions and the catholicity of the Church, renouncing Holy Martyrs and Confessors of Christ, maligning their spiritual struggle and delivering them into the hands of their tormentors; to those who justify this Judas-like way of thinking and acting, presenting it as some special wisdom and salvation of the Church, causing scandal and thus preparing the veneration of Antichrist as God-given leader; to Sergians, the new Renovationists: Anathema. (And all proclaim thrice: Anathema)

She is survived by her husband, retired Deacon Nicholas from RocorMP New Martyrs in Mulino, her son Serge, her brother Victor, and another brother.

Matushka Antonina was the only person besides me from St. Martin's in Corvallis who did not go along with the union. Deacon Nicholas is very pro-union, and with Matushka's poor health and increasing dependence on him, she eventually succumbed to the pressure he put on her to attend services with him.

In a legal document that Matushka Antonina had prepared to be opened at her death, she states her wishes that she is a member of the RTOC and wants to be buried with her parents in Colma [in the Bay area]. Her surviving RocorMP/OCA family is not complying with her wishes. The church is in the OCA and the cemetery is owned by RocorMP.

Antonia Lenkoff (Lavrova) Funeral

Date Wednesday, March 27, 2013, Prayers 9 am Funeral Mass 10 am

Location: Church of the Myrrbearing Women, 833 Water Street, West Sacramento, CA.,

Panihida Monday, March 25, 2013 at 6:00 pm. Also at above location.

Panihida: There will also be a Panihida in San Francisco at Holy Virgin Cathedral,

Geary at 26th Ave. on Monday, March 25, 2013 at 5:30 pm.

(For those who can’t make it to West Sacramento)

Internment following the Funeral Mass will be at the Sacramento Russian Orthodox Cemetery (adjacent to St. Mary’s Cemetery) at 65th Expressway and Fruitridge Road, Sacramento.

Here is the address to write and the phone number to attempt to connect or leave a message for Father Alejandro.

Mail letters to:

Alejandro Iwaszewicz Dorado

MODULO 8, SECTOR A2, Cell 13

COMPEN-COMCAR

Ruta 1 km 20.

Ciudad SANTIAGO VAZQUEZ

DPTO. MONTEVIDEO

URUGUAY.

Father's correspondence gets open for security purposes .You can write in Spanish...English or Russian. Sometimes letters in foreign languages take a longer time to reach him.
Be aware not all the letters or parcels get to Father + he does not get all the phone call messages but the most important fact is to show our interest in Fr.'s health and well being.

Telephone 00598-2312-0197, extension 248 , ask for MODULO 8 Cell 13 sector A 2 and his name , Alejandro Iwaszewicz Dorado. Most of the times the guards will recognize the name.
Try to use your best Spanish or Portuguese. I assume that with the name is enough.
it is difficult to write on a small cell.... sorry!

Reminder not to use Fr. Alexander's title in the address – just write or say Alexander – don't write "Fr." or say "father". It can make things more difficult for him.

As guided by Saint Philaret, Metropolitan of New York, one is not to cross oneself as the anathemas are read, but to do so as the Memory Eternal commemorations are read.

Deacon: This is the faith of the apostles! This is the faith of the fathers! This is the Orthodox faith! This faith has established the universe!

Furthermore, we accept and confirm the councils of the holy fathers, and their traditions and writings which are agreeable to divine revelation.

And though the enemies of Orthodoxy oppose this providence and the saving revelation of the Lord, yet the Lord has considered the reproaches of His servants, for He mocks those who blaspheme His Glory, and has challenged the enemies of Orthodoxy and put them to flight!

As we therefore bless and praise those who have obeyed the divine revelation and have fought for it; so we reject and anathematize those who oppose this truth, if while waiting for their return and repentance, they refuse to turn again to the Lord; and in this we follow the sacred tradition of the ancient Church, holding fast to her traditions.

To those who deny the existence of God, and assert that the world is self-existing, and that all things in it occur by chance, and not by the providence of God, Anathema!

All:Anathema!

Deacon: To those who say that God is not spirit, but flesh; or that He is not just, merciful, wise and all-knowing, and utter similar blasphemies, Anathema!

All:Anathema!

To those who dare to say that the Son of God and also the Holy Spirit are not one in essence and of equal honor with the Father, and confess that the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit are not one God, Anathema!

All:Anathema!

To those who foolishly say that the coming of the Son of God into the world in the flesh, and His voluntary passion, death, and resurrection were not necessary for our salvation and the cleansing of sins, Anathema!

All:Anathema!

To those who reject the grace of redemption preached by the Gospel as the only means of our justification before God, Anathema!

All:Anathema!

To those who dare to say that the all-pure Virgin Mary was not virgin before giving birth, during birthgiving, and after her child-birth, Anathema!

All:Anathema!

To those who do not believe that the Holy Spirit inspired the prophets and apostles, and by them taught us the true way to eternal salvation, and confirmed this by miracles, and now dwells in the hearts of all true and faithful Christians, and teaches them in all truth, Anathema!

All:Anathema!

To those who reject the immortality of the soul, the end of time, the future judgment, and eternal reward for virtue and condemnation for sin, Anathema!

All:Anathema!

To those who reject all the holy mysteries held by the Church of Christ, Anathema!

All:Anathema!

To those who reject the Councils of the holy fathers and their traditions, which are agreeable to divine revelation and kept piously by the Orthodox Catholic Church, Anathema!

All:Anathema!

To those who mock and profane the holy images and relics which the holy Church receives as revelations of God's work and of those pleasing to Him, to inspire their beholders with piety, and to arouse them to follow these examples; and to those who say that they are idols, Anathema!

All:Anathema!

To those who dare to say and teach that our Lord Jesus Christ did not descend to earth, but only seemed to; or that He did not descend to the earth and become incarnate only once, but many times, and who likewise deny that the true Wisdom of the Father is His only-begotten Son, Anathema!

All:Anathema!

To the followers of the occult, spiritualists, wizards, and all who do not believe in the one God, but honor the demons; or who do not humbly give their lives over to God, but strive to learn the future through sorcery, Anathema!

All:Anathema!

To those who attack the Church of Christ by teaching that the Lord's Church is divided into so-called "branches" which differ in doctrine and way of life, or that the Church does not exist visibly, but will be formed in the future when all "branches" of sects or denomination, and even religions, will be united into one body, and who do not distinguish the priesthood and mysteries of the Church from those of the heretics, but say that the baptism and eucharist of heretics is effectual for salvation; therefore, to those who knowingly have communion with these aforementioned heretics or who advocate, disseminate, or defend their new heresy of Ecumenism under the pretext of brotherly love or the supposed unification of separated Christians: Anathema! Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia 1983

All:Anathema!

To those who call the theomachist antichrist authority blessed by God rather than permitted; to those who dare to enslave the holy Church to this authority for the sake of holding on to the external ecclesiastical organization; to those who, in order to please the secular authorities, trample upon God’s commandments, the holy canons, the patristic traditions and the Church’s catholicity; to those who renounce the martyrs and confessors of Christ, who raise up blasphemy against their struggle and who betray them into the hands of tormentors; to those who justify this Judas-like way of thinking and acting and who even say that by a special wisdom the salvation of the Church comes about; to those who prepare the seduction of honoring antichrist as a God-given leader; to the Segianists, to the new renovationists – anathema!Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, October 10\23, 2012, Odessa

All:Anathema!

All:ANATHEMA! ANATHEMA! ANATHEMA!

Another translation of anathema added 2012:

To those who call the godless and anti-Christian state power blessed rather than merely permitted by God and make bold, under the pretext of preserving the outward organisation of the Church, to subjugate the Holy Church to this power; to those who, in order to please the worldly authorities, trample under foot the Divine Commandments, Holy Canons, Patristic Traditions and the catholicity of the Church, renouncing Holy Martyrs and Confessors of Christ, maligning their spiritual struggle and delivering them into the hands of their tormentors; to those who justify this Judas-like way of thinking and acting, presenting it as some special wisdom and salvation of the Church, causing scandal and thus preparing the veneration of Antichrist as God-given leader; to Sergians, the new Renovationists: Anathema.

Once, at the dawn of Christianity, Tertullian could boldly declare to the pagans: "We only came yesterday, yet already we have succeeded in filling up everything that was yours: cities, islands, castles, popular assembly, even military camps, tribunes, the Emperor´s palace, senate, forum... Only your temples have we left to you."

Alas, today, two thousand years after the triumph of Christianity, it once again begins to be ousted from forums, senates, palaces and other public and political institutions. The family remains the only cell of society where the commandments of Christ still hold their sway. However, where broader public associations are concerned, we see the light of the Gospel slowly waning. The nations of today are becoming more and more secular, returning to their pagan prototypes, and in the sphere of international relations it is now considered positively naive if not ridiculous to be guided by high moral principles of truth, divine justice and love. Today, the chief principles determining these relations are those of national pride and self-interest of individual nations. Particularly the latter has become very widespread nowadays.

Never before has the golden calf ruled the world so openly and unashamedly as in our times. If gold, according to Shakespeare, was at all times able to "make black white, foul fair, wrong right, base noble" and if. according to our own poet, it equally enslaves "free genius and bloodied villainy", in our times it virtually reigns supreme over minds and hearts of people. It shakes the thrones of the powerful, carrying to power worthless individuals, seriously complicating international relations, causing wars and provoking civil strife resulting in bloody revolutions.

There is no value nowadays that is not purchased and sold on the world market, where everything including honour and conscience becomes an object of trade. Current political crises and financial disasters, caused chiefly by moral decline, seem to spell a powerful warning to a mankind heading for an abyss.

"God", writes bishop Nicholas of Ochrid, "used a modern method of chastisement in that He dealt a blow to modern man, dealt a blow to banks, stock exchanges, financial institutions, currencies. He overthrew the tables of moneychangers all over the world as erstwhile in the Jerusalem temple."

And yet, the mankind does not wish to stop on its fatal way down and continues to feast during the plague.

I was not able to sign the petition on the machine English page, I had to go back to the Spanish page. Nombre is "name". Código postal is "zip code". In the drop down menu, United States is "Estados Unidos". FIRMAR means "Sign".

Outspoken Kremlin critic Stanislav Belkovsky said Thursday that he wouldn't retract his criticism of the Russian Orthodox Church, even though investigators have summoned him for questioning over an article he penned last week.

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THE SISTER CHURCHES

The True Orthodox Churches of Romania, and Bulgaria, and with the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, and with the Synod in Resistance, are called by the Grace of the Lord to coexist in Mysteriological communion.

from §4 of “Schedule of Steps in the Union Process” Feb. 2014

VL AGAFANGEL PRAYER

Lord Jesus Christ, Holy Theotokos and all the Saints: keep our souls unharmed from the destructive influences of globalism, ecumenism, and sergianism, and give all of us the strength to endure the latest onset of persecution of the Church of Christ. Amen

QUOTE

"I have taken you in my arms, and I love you, and I prefer you to my life itself. For the present life is nothing, and my most ardent dream is to spend it with you... I place your love above all things, and nothing would be more bitter or painful to me than to be of a different mind than you.”

St. John Chrysostom

QUOTE

"If we have a good priest (or bishop), we give thanks to God. If a bad one, we endure him".

- old Russian saying

QUOTE

"And here is something to which I would like to draw your attention to – something about which very many do not think about. Father Archimandrite Constantine, whom probably many of you know, the reposed editor of the journal “Orthodox Rus’”, a profound Christian mind, considered that the most terrible among all the achievements of the communists was that the communists created their own false-church, a soviet church which they shoved onto the unfortunate people in place of the genuine Church which went underground into the catacombs. Do not think that I am exaggerating or that Father Constantine was exaggerating!

Once, in the year 1918, a Pan-Russian Church Council was held. At this Council, the entire Pan-Russian Church together with its first holy hierarch, Patriarch Tikhon anathematized, excommunicated from the Church not only the theomachists and godless ones themselves, but also all those who would collaborate with them."

~St. Philaret of NY

QUOTE

"To the Russians abroad, it has been granted to shine in the whole world with the light of Orthodoxy, so that other peoples, seeing their good deeds, might glorify our Father Who is in heaven, and thus obtain salvation for themselves. But if it does not perform this purpose and even abases Orthodoxy by its life, the Diaspora will have before itself two paths: either to be converted to the path of repentance, having acquired forgiveness through prayer to God and being reborn spiritually and to being capable of giving rebirth to our suffering homeland; or else being rejected by God and remaining in banishment, persecuted by everyone, until gradually it will degenerate and disappear from the face of the earth."

from Vladika John's report to the All-Diaspora Sobor in 1938

QUOTE

The apostasy of our times, to a degree unique in Christian history, is proceeding not primarily by false teachings or canonical deviations, but rather by a false understanding of Orthodoxy on the part of those who may even be perfectly Orthodox in their dogmatic teaching and canonical situation. A correct "Orthodoxy" deprived of the Spirit of true Christianity—this is the meaning of Sergianism, and it cannot be fought by calling it a "heresy," which it is not, nor by detailing its canonical irregularities, which are only incidental to something much more important.

- Russia's Catacomb Saints

QUOTE

Let it not be thought, however, that I affirm that it is necessary to prize every peace. For I know that there is a splendid disagreement and the most destructive unanimity. Yet one must love a good peace which has a good purpose: unity with God.

-St. Gregory the Theologian

QUOTE

... To pious Christians the fact that the world has fallen into godlessness is to them obvious, and they are ready to see it as an unfortunate historical inevitability ...

Professor Viktor Trostinkov

QUOTE

If you want to have assurance that you are saved, repent now that you are young and healthy and it is manifest that you left sin while you were still able to sin. But if you persevere in sin into your old age, why then you did not leave sin, but rather sin left you.

St. Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain

QUOTE

Live in peace not only with your friends, but also with your enemies; but only your personal enemies, and not the enemies of God.

St. Theodosius of the Kiev Caves

QUOTE

Judge not according to appearances, but judge righteous judgment.

St. John 7:24

QUOTE

"If Russia is not ressurrected, a new Golgotha threatens the whole world."

Priest Vladimir Evsukoff 1980†

QUOTE

A man who does not express a desire to link himself to the latest of the saints (in time) in all love and humility owing to a certain distrust in himself, will never be linked to the preceding saints and will not be admitted to their succession, even though he thinks he possesses all possible faith and love for God and for all His saints. He will be cast out of their midst, as one who refused to take humbly the place allotted to him by God before all time, and to link himself to that latest saint (in time) as God had disposed.

St. Symeon the New Theologian

QUOTE

SCOBA, to which world orthodoxy gives such great significance, reproaching us for not belonging to it, actually is in no way a canonical organ. The Russian Church Outside of Russia was invited to take part in these conferences; however, our Church refused to send representatives there after clergy of the Moscow Patriarchate were invited. "We never and nowhere will sit at one table with them; by this our spiritual communion with the Universal Church is not broken."

Archpriest George Grabbe 1969

QUOTE

"Let us always thank the Lord that we are in the Holy Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, which throughout the 80 years of its existence has trodden the straight, royal path of God, without ever turning aside and losing its way."

QUOTE

The passions lying hidden in the soul provide the demons with the means of arousing impassioned thoughts in us. Then, fighting the intellect through these thoughts, they force it to give its assent to sin. When it has been overcome, they lead it to sin in the mind; and when this has been done they induce it, captive as it is, to commit the sin in action. Having thus desolated the soul by means of these thoughts, the demons then retreat, taking the thoughts with them, and only the spectre or idol of sin remains in the intellect. Referring to this our Lord says, 'When you see the abominable idol of desolation standing in the holy place (let him who reads understand)... (Matt 24:15). For man's intellect is a holy place and a temple of God in which the demons, having desolated the soul by impassioned thoughts, set up the idol of sin. That these things have already taken place in history no one, I think, who has read Josephus will doubt; though some say that they will also come to pass in the time of the Antichrist.

Philokalia

QUOTE

There are three things that impel us towards what is holy: natural instincts, angelic powers, and probity of intention. Natural instincts impel us, when, for example, we do to others what we would wish them to do to us (cf. Luke 6:31), or when we see someone suffering deprivation or in need and naturally feel compassion. Angelic powers impel us when, being ourselves impelled to something worthwhile, we find we are providentially helped and guided. We are impelled by probity of intention when, discriminating between good and evil, we choose the good.

Philokalia

QUOTE

The outward Gospel of social idealism is a symptom of loss of faith.

Fr. Seraphim Rose

QUOTE

Impurity of intellect consists first in having false knowledge, ...

Philokalia

QUOTE

Isn't Marx really the third of a trio with Darwin and Freud as a practical source in the war against revealed truth?

Fr. Seraphim Rose

Letters, 1972

QUOTE

QUOTE

To: ROCA members from the MP

"You have to understand that you have long been in a false church, which implants in its members' souls, a false spirituality, which in turn takes root and grows stronger and stronger, the longer a man stays in it."

Bishop Athanasius, 2014

QUOTE

Mankind has gone mad, and we see with horror the abyss into which it is being drawn. Let us lay aside every worldly care, and let us fall down in prayer and readiness for the dread Judgment of the Lord. Death will not come with bombs and poisons. Death has already come and take up residence with us and in us, and has made corpses of us, Mammon has overwhelmed this sinful world, which is dominated by Queen Science, Lucifer himself, which with one hand makes medicines and machines for man's foolish happiness and with the other terrorizes him by means of the bomb! Such is the sorry state of knowledge and the agony of the world through and through. Let us lift up our hearts.

-Photios Kontoglou (†1965) letter to Dr. Cavarnos dated 5/10/57

QUOTE

"Psychopaths are a superior subspecies. We transcend humanity. We are Nature's Supermen. We deserve the subservience and availability of everyone around us. Luckily, every year 100-million people are born throughout the world. We have 100-million new choices every year."

-Sam Vaknin, self-realized psychopath

QUOTE

Our Saviour placed the Church in the world in order to save the world, and Satan is always trying to place the world into the Church in order to destroy the Church.

attributed to Desert Fathers

QUOTE

"If you see lying and hypocrisy, expose them in front of all, even if they are clothed inpurple and fine linen."

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